Qualifying for the World Cup is a huge pride for all of Central Asia – Shomurodov

Uzbekistan national team captain Eldor Shomurodov has said that qualifying for the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the team’s success in the qualifiers is a source of great pride not only for Uzbekistan but for the entire Central Asian region. He made the remarks in an interview with FIFA’s official website.

“Putting these emotions into words is very difficult. Not only us players, but the entire country of Uzbekistan really wanted this World Cup berth. After the result, everyone was extremely happy, because we all understood how important it was for our people and our fans. After qualifying, we received congratulations not only from Uzbekistan, but also from other Central Asian countries. I even heard that the President of Kazakhstan congratulated our President,” Shomurodov said.

He also noted that if the national team performs well at the World Cup, Uzbekistan will gain fans all over the world.

“Even before the draw, I knew that it was not very important who we would be grouped with. Our task is to advance from the group, and the rest will be decided by fate. Of course, we will give everything we have. We represent our country, and that is why we work hard. We want to show the whole world that Uzbekistan is a strong team,” Eldor added.

In addition, Shomurodov emphasized that the world has seen that footballers from Uzbekistan are capable of playing for European clubs, which benefits not only the national team but Uzbek football as a whole.

“I remember how disappointed the fans were when we failed to qualify for the World Cup during my childhood. Today, thanks to our achievements and the attention paid by the country’s leadership to sports, especially football, the attitude of fans has completely changed. Now that our participation in the World Cup is confirmed, many Uzbekistanis are also planning to travel to the United States. Their support in the stands will give us great strength and motivation to reach new heights,” Shomurodov said.

It is worth noting that the Uzbekistan national team will take part in the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 2026. Uzbekistan has been drawn into Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia, and the winner of the playoff match between Jamaica, Congo, and New Caledonia. The group-stage matches will be held in Mexico City, Houston, and Atlanta.